Supply means for lubricant-distributing systems



May 29. 1928. 1,671,421

- C. C. GOODRICH v SUPPLY MEANS FOR LUBRICANT DISTRIBUTING SYSTEMS Filed June 25, 1924 WGJO Patented May 29, 1928.

COY C. GOODRICH, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

SUPPLY MEANS FOR LUBRICANT-DISTRIBUTING SYSTEMS.

Application filed June 23, 1924. Serial No. 721,888.

The present invention relates to improve men is in a lubricating system for motor vehicles or the like and has particular refer.

ence to a means for continuously supplying a distributing system of the character described in my Patent No. 1,623,240 filed as of the same date herewith. In the latter patent a distributing system for a lubricant is described which utilizes the vibrations of the main springs of the motor vehicle vi'or operating a pump, which latter is construct ed to distribute the lubricant in measured quantities into various arteries leading to various points of application. In the present invention it is proposed to provide a suitable means in combination with the said distributing system for continuously feeding a lubricant into the same. It is further pro posed to provide means by which the lubricant in the bottom of the crank case of the engine may be utilized for this purpose so that the whole motor vehicle with all its bearings requiring lubrication is lubricated from the one source of the crank case. It is further proposed in this connection to provide a tank or reservoir in connection with the lubricant feeding system into which a lubricant may be pumped continuously from the bottom of the crank case or into which the said lubricant may be pumped whenever it desired. to clean the crank case, thereby allmving the old lubricant to be used for the lubrication oi? the bearings of the motor vehiclc. Proper means for filtering or straining the oil taken from the bottom of the crank case form a part of my invention.

The preferred form of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 shows the arrangement of my lubricant feeding system, as applied to the engineof a motor vehicle; Figure 2 a vertical section through a tank or reservoir used in my system; Figure 3 a view illustrating on a smaller scale a somewhat different arrangement from that shown in Fig- .ure 1. While I have shown only the pre ferred form of the invention it should be understood that various changes or modifications may be made within the scope of the claims hereto attached without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the system as illustrated in Figure 1 the pipe 1 may be considered the general supply pipe for one or more distributing pumps 2, the details of which are illustrated and described in my aforesaid patent from which it will appear that the same is operated by means of one of the springs 23 of the motor vehicle. The object of the present invention is to provide means of maintaining a constant supply of lubricant in the pipe 1. For this purpose I provide a tank 6L disposed preferably near a dash of the motor vehicle at an elevation slightly higher than that of the engine crank case. A pipe (5 leads from the top oi? the tank i to the intake manifold 7 of the engine while a second pipe 8 connects the top of the tank with the bottom of the crank case of the engine as shown at 9. It will be seen that in this manner a vacuum is created in the tank ibythe suction of the running engine and that the lubricant is thereby drawn into the tank from the bottom of the crank case. A valve 11 is provided in the pipe 6 by means of which the latter may be disconnected from the intake manifold. A. float l2 rests in acage 13 secured in operative relation to the pipe 6 and is adapted to bear on a needle valve 14, when the float is raised by the lubricant in the tank so that the pipe (3 is automatically shut off when the level of the lubricant within the tank reaches a predetermined height. A pipe 16 leads from the bottom of the tank into the pipe 1 so as to allow the lubricant to [low thereinto by gravity, the pipe preferably cxtcnding somewhat above the bottom of the tank so as to allow impurities in the lubricant to accumulate at the bottom of the tank and to bedrawn off by the removal of the plug 18 provided in the bottom of the tank. A tubular screen 19 is secured to the end of the pipe 16 within the tank in the manner illustrated inFigure 2 whereby all the lubri cant entering the pipe 16 is first strained.

A somewhat difierent arrangement is shown in Figure 3 in which the sump pump 21 ordinarily provided in the bottom of the parent since thewhole lubricating system draws on one single supply of lubricant namely, that contained in the bottonr of the crank case. As long as there is any lubricant in the crank case the same is antog matically fed into the pipe 1 by means of any one ofthje arrangementsshown in the drawing and is distributed froi'nthere to the various places requirin lubrication by means of the distributing systemdes'cribed" in the aforesaid patent "lhe tank 4- wh'ere used olieirs an op 'oortumty' of saving the oil withdrawn from the crank case when the latter 1s clea'ned, and also allows a larger amount of liflbrica'nt tobe' carried so thatthere isless danger of the supply becoming deficient.

I claim t i 1. The combination Withthe powerp'lant of an automobile, of a lubricant distributing system in coac'ti'on therewith for lhbricati'ng parts of the automobile other than the eng'ine, said system con'iprising an oil dis tributing pipe, pump in" said pipe, means for, operating the pump means for main taining av constant supply of lubricant in said ipe,said supply means comprising a tank disposed above the level ofithe' ower plant, a valved, pipe leading from the, top of the tank to the intake manifold ofthe power plant, a pipe leading from the bottom ofthe. crank case of the power plant to thejtop ofsa'id tank, whereby suction in} duced' in the tank by Virtue of the valve'd pipe will draw lubricant from the crank case to the tank by way ofsai'd crank case pipe, means in the tank for automatically closing the valved pipe when the level of the lubricant in the tank reaches a certain position, a. lubricant strainer in the tank, and means between the strainer and the distributing pipe for delivering strained lubricant thereto "for distribution tlierefrom'by actions of the pump.

2. The combination with a power plant, of an oil distributing system for lubricating parts other than the power plant, said sys tem. including a pump" for forcing circular.- tion of lubricantlthrougli' the system, a lubricant supply tank connected with the distributing; pipe to" permit lubricant to discharge thereto by gravity, means associating the tank with the crank. case and withthe intfake manifoldpf the power plantto permit lubricant from the crank case to be drawn into the tank by the action of induced suction, and means in the tank forautomatically closing same to the intake manifold.

3. The combination with a power pla-nt,-of an oil distributing system for lubricating parts other than the power plant, said system including a puinp for forcing circulation of lubricant through the system, a lubricant supply tank connected with the distributing pipe to' permit: luhricant'tmdischarge thereto by ravity, means associating the tank with die Gr mm case min with the intake manifold of the power plant to permit lubrican't;- from the crane case to be drawn into the tank by the action of induced suction, and means in the" tank. for aauamauean closing same to' the intake maniibld, the said means between the intakemanifiild and the said crank caseincludin'g a valved ipelfifl I ing' from" the manifold tot-hate '0 are tank and provided with a menu 15 opera'dlfi valve.

4. The comhinatibnwitlr an automobihi I chassis an'd'a power plant thereon, ()i e hi: bricant distributin system suppemufity the chassisfandinclud ing a jum fbr' feeding circulation of lubricant t rough th'ehsystem, the said pump having a portion disposed with respectto a spring of the. chassi'sxsh that upon;natural movements of the pump will be operated periodica ai lubricant supply tank operatively connected use the vacuum to said tank when the level of i the oil' within the tank rises t3: a pred et'era mined point, a pipe placing t e bottom of said tank in communicatiorrwith? said l'uh'ri cant distributing system whereby oil will flow from said tank into'said'system-hy "V- ity, and means for pumping said oil (ford fferent parts of ithe vehi'cle;

6. The combination with a vehicle: liavin an internal combustion engine.- of :i lubricant distributing system for ltbni'cafiingifl'm vehicle, said system including a" vacuum tank disposed above the butt-Bin of said engine, connections" between" said tan'lt and the oil in the crank case of said engineaildi between said tank; and the intake manifclh" of said engine; automaticmeans' f6! cutting of the vacuum to saidtank when the level of different parts of the vehicle, said means the oil within the tank rises to a predetercomprising a pipe having a portion disposed mined point, a pipe placing the bottom of with respect to a spring of the vehicle so said tank in communication With said lubrithat upon the natural movement of the cant distributing system whereby oil will spring the pump will be periodically operfiow from said tank into said system by ated. gravity, and means for pumping said oil to COY C. GOODRICH. 

